Please help with grandpa's WWII info

That might work. The postal stamp on the envelope gives the APO for the place from which it was sent. Each division has its own unique code. Most official bases would have their own code too. The codes are accurate as they have to deliver the mail to the right place. In fact, the Allies used German postal codes to determine what units were where as part of their intelligence gathering.
So, you could get lucky with a base, or one of the codes could turn out to be a divisional one.

 

Hello. Some good news. I just got an e-mail from NPRC. I should have their information mid May. I am hopeful that this will have the info. I am looking for listed with documents. However, the postal code info. is very interesting and may be the clue that solves the case. I will be in Eufaula, AL by 1st of June. If NPRC fails to produce any solid info. I will be able to look at the letters while I am there and bring them back with me. I have organized them chronologically. I can determine where he was and when then get the Postal Code and compare to the info. I have from the 5th division. If that does not work out I am going to get in touch with a professional finder of WWII divisions from national archives. Pretty soon I will qualify for that title!!!!

Thanks for all the info. and your help. It is much, much appreciated. And....thank you all for your service to our country and for keeping the memories alive. It is very important and valuable to many. I am grateful.

Tammy

 

Just a quick update. I got a response from NPRC in St. Louis, Missouri. Due to the fire of July 12, 1973 all records were lost. The only info. they have is from his separation document which I sent to them in 2002. Otherwise, the Army has no record of his service. Kinda gives me a sinking feeling if you know what I mean.

I will continue with my research and continue to check this site for potential info. If anyone has contacts with a WW II veteran in the 11th infantry Company D and served in the European Theater (ETO) from 1942-45 and was involved in the Normandy Invasion, Rhineland, Northern France, European African Middle Eastern battles I would like to contact you. Or if you may be researching similar information. Also, I know he served under Patton in the 3rd Army during the Battle of the Bulge.

I will update again if I find some good information or information that may help others.

Thanks for your help.

Tammy

 

Hi Tammy I have forwarded your request to a friend of mine who is a Third Army specialist. No promise here, but I'll keep you informed.

 

Skipper:

Thanks a million.

I suspect, but of course I am not certain, that he was in the 5th ID under Irwin and was attached to the 3rd army under Patton once they got into France. The only thing I am certain about is the 11th infantry, Company D (this is the address on all the letters he sent to my grandmother from the war.)--and he served under Patton at the Bulge. Everything else I have is just an educated guess deduced from action reports and such.

Tammy

 

I have new information. I thought there might be someone out there familiar with the 5th I.D's movement during WW II. I am trying to confirm that my grandfather served in this division during the war . In addition to the other info. included in the attached posts I have the following:

I read all of the letters that I could find from my grandfather to my grandmother during the war. I know the soldiers could not write locations etc. but I did get some postal stamps and codes. Here is the info. which is more of a timeline. All of the letters have a return address of PFC Marvin Smith, Co. D 11 Infantry.

Aug. 1942 Ft. Custer, Michigan
Sept. 1942 Nashville, Tenn
Nov. 1942 Trenton, NJ (APO 3305)
Sept. 1943 England (APO5)
November 1943 Northern Ireland (APO5)
Dec. 1943 Went to England for Christmas on furlough
June 18, 1944 Northern Ireland (mentions invasion)
June 30, 1944 APO 5,Postal Code 813
July 5, 1945 M.E.D. #3 APO519
July 11, 1945 England (M.E.D. #3 APO519) mentions boys going home
July 14, 1945 (M.E.D. #3 Prov. APO519) mentions he was face to face with Germans one year ago today, July 14, 1944 at sun up. Went in on night of July 13 and sat in a foxhole and prayed all night long.
There are several letters in July, Aug. and Sept. of 1945 of note are the following:
Sept. 8, 1945 he is hauling troops to boats headed home.
Sept. 16, 1945 he is hauling supply (at this point he has been gone 3 years)
Sept. 19, 1945 he gets orders for home.

I have a copy of one letter from the U.S. to my grandfather. It is addressed: Det A 3 Hq Det Hq So. Dist. with APO 298

Please let me know if anything jumps out at anyone or if you know of a historian I can contact who specializes in the 5th ID.

Regards,
Tammy

 

BINGO. Found it.

I found a couple of old photos in a trunk last week. One of the photos had the names of 3 soldiers plus my grandfather with Co. D 11th Infantry, Ft. Custer, Mich on the back in pencil. One of the soldiers had what I thought was a diamond on his left shoulder (Red Marshall). I went to the society of the fifth infantry division website and searched the casualty list and found nothing. Then I searched the roster list and one of the soldiers was listed on the roster: Tony Graham. I was heartbroken to learn that he was KIA near Hoscheid, Luxembourg on Jan. 25, 1945.

But I now know for sure that my grandfather was indeed in the 5th ID, 11th infantry Co. D. Yippy!!!! I am going to try and find someone who served with him and I will join the 5th's society.

Thanks for all of your info. it helped point in the right direction. And, I was able to clear up some of the questions re: his entry into combat.

Tammy

 

Attached are the photos I mention in the previous post.

1 = PFC Marvin Smith
2= Barracks ? Have no idea where
3 = I think my grandpa is on the left. I don't know where this was taken
4= This is the photo of the 4 men. I think I posted this sideways. I think the man on the bottom left is Tony Graham, next to him is Red Marshall (see diamond on shoulder), back row on the left is Milton Holifield (sp ?) and Marvin Smith is the rear right. There is no placement of the men just a list of names on the back. This is at Ft. Custer July 22, 1942
5 = This is at Ft. Custer. Marvin Smith is on the Right. I think that is
Milton beside him. They look tired.

If you see anything interesting I would love to hear about it.

Thanks,
Tammy

 

The first and fourth pictures were taken in the US at some point in the division's training. You don't see the sort of buildings and interiors in these photos overseas where local construction and Quonset huts were the norm. This could be anyone of a number of different posts, camps, or forts depending on when they were taken.
The second is also very likely taken in the US. The men are in work fatuges which were far less commonly seen overseas. The third, if taken in the US might have been shot in the Great Lakes region. Overseas it might be Iceland, Ireland, or England as the division was in all three locations.

 

Sorry. Wrong thread.

 

Other 5th Infantry Division relatives posted here:

http://www.ww2f.com/military-servic...search/33765-11th-infantry-division-co-f.html

Partial Roster of 11th Infantry Regiment here:

http://perso.numericable.fr/yvesjbel/roster11th.html

 

Looking for information for my Great Uncle:


Sgt. Samuel A. De Petro, S/N #36227745, E Co., 2nd Bn., 11th Regt., 5th Division.


Sgt. Samuel A. DePetro, 303 W. College Ave., Marquette, Michigan, had joined the Army 11/1941 and was in the 5th Div as they went through training and garrison details in Iceland and England.


He was listed as D.O.W. 09/08/1944 during combat in the Horseshoe Woods bridgehead near Dornot, France while crossing the Moselle river.


Had received his C.I.B. & E.I.B. through the 11th Infantry Regiment (G.O. #6 & #7 11INF1944) as well as his Purple Heart from the 5th Infantry Division.


Any assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.


Joe Voet

 

Hello, Joe. Welcome to the Forums. It seems you already know quite a bit about your great uncle's service. Perhaps you could be more specific as to what type of information you seek. That will help us help you.

 

To connect with the relatives of E Company's headquarters, you might transcribe the names from the photo to a message posted here. People often web search the names of family members to find out about their military service. It might take a year or two before they find you but it has happened before.

Good Luck